Wardens, police team to crack down on ASB

A NEW team of wardens and officers ‘embedded’ at Torquay Town Hall will become Torbay Council’s front line in the fight against anti-social behaviour (ASB) plaguing the bay.

Council leader David Thomas revealed details of the team at a council cabinet committee last week. He said: “We want to make our town centres into safe and vibrant places to visit.”

But the meeting also heard that targeting town centres could simply push problems elsewhere.

Cllr Thomas said residents had told the council ASB, litter and street drinking were the biggest issues they faced. The new enforcement officers and street wardens will, said Cllr Thomas, “work together with the police to start to clean up our town centres, making them better and safer places”.

The town hall team will also include police, social workers, housing officers and staff dealing with rough sleeping and mental health issues.

“The team will focus on community protection and criminal behaviour,” said Cllr Thomas. “We know the issues and we are determined to resolve them.”

But Liberal Democrat leader Steve

Darling said the council could make more use of Public Spaces Protection Orders (PSPO). He said the police’s Operation Loki had been successful in cutting town centre problems, but the force itself conceded that in some cases it had just driven the issues elsewhere. His call for the council to make better use of PSPO powers was voted down by the Conservative administration, which said it already had many of the powers in hand.

Cllr Nick Bye said: “PSPOs only work when they are enforced. Putting one in place doesn’t solve a problem by itself.”

6A multi-disciplinary team is to crack down on anti-social behaviour in Torbay